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(Photo: Reuters/Richard Rowe)American flags wave over the remains of Plaza Towers Elementary school in Moore, Oklahoma May 21, 2013 after it was destroyed by a massive tornado May 20. Emergency workers pulled more than 100 survivors from the rubble of homes, schools and a hospital in an Oklahoma town hit by a powerful tornado, and officials lowered the death toll from the storm to 24, including nine children.

Westboro Baptist Church has said the Oklahoma tornado blame lies with the state's basketball team's open support for gay NBA player, Jason Collins.

The controversial comments were made by Fred Phelps Jr., the son of Westboro Baptist Church leader Fred Phelps, and have sparked huge backlash from across the nation.

Westboro, a small group widely condemned by mainstream Christian groups for its outrageous comments and techniques, posted a message on Twitter on Tuesday stating the group's belief that the Moore, Okla., tornado was a form of divine retribution.

Phelps has controversially claimed that Oklahoma City Thunder basketball star Kevin Durant's public support for Jason Collins, after he publicly announced that he was gay, is to blame for the tornado that devastated Moore, Okla., on Monday.

The Westboro man also later added to his comments by posting a new message about what he called "God's wonderful wrath."

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(Photo: Christian Post Contributer/Debbie Cohen)Westboro Baptist Church members held signs of anger in protest of same-sex marriage on July 24, 2011.

Westboro has been roundly derided by almost all over groups over their methods, and this is not the first time they have made outrageous comments in the aftermath of tragedies and disasters.

In April, following the Boston Marathon bombings, Westboro's official Twitter account announced the group's intention to picket the funerals of the victims of the attack. Again the group claimed that the bombings were a divine retribution for sin.

At that time Westboro posted, "WestboroBaptist Church to picket funerals of those dead by Boston Bombs! GOD SENT THE BOMBS IN FURY OVER F— MARRIAGE! #PraiseGod."

The group also later claimed that the Boston bombings took place because of President Barack Obama's support for gay marriage: "He is chiefly to blame for bringing down the wrath of God on Boston, on Massachusetts and on USA. Mr. Obama] vows that those responsible for the Boston Marathon Bombs would feel the full weight of justice. Hello, Mr. Pervert-in-chief! GOD SENT THE BOMBS!"

The group was once again widely rebuked and criticized for their controversial comments by Christian and secular groups alike.